


Day After Day

by grlgoddess



Category: Enchanted Forest Chronicles - Patricia Wrede
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 09:33:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2807756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grlgoddess/pseuds/grlgoddess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The cat walked through the thick bed of moss.</p>
<p>A dragon flew overhead.</p>
<p>A stream flowed into a pond.</p>
<p>Something unknown swung from tree to tree.</p>
<p>A wizard did something he shouldn't have.</p>
<p>Someone had a nice cup of cider.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Day After Day

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kiki-eng (kiki_eng)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiki_eng/gifts).



The cat walked through the thick bed of moss.

A dragon flew overhead.

A stream flowed into a pond.

Something unknown swung from tree to tree.

A wizard did something he shouldn't have.

Someone had a nice cup of cider.

The Enchanted Forest may have been a place where the unexpected could happen, but it was also a place that had its routines. Sometimes, the same things happened over and over, day after day, predictable as anything. Sometimes, the same things happened over and over, day after day, unpredictable as anything. It was hard to tell the difference.

Cats gave no care as to what was predictable or not. Cats did as they wished, whether they were in an Enchanted Forest or in the most mundane of cities. The Forest contained many places that a cat could seek out, or just happen to find oneself. There were hidden holes, forgotten ruins, patches of sunlight and fields full of mice. Cats, being better than most creatures at such things, had no trouble re-finding their favourite areas no matter how the Forest chose to rearrange itself. One cat often sought a clearing where the sun shone hot and mice scurried under and over the moss, day after day she chased the mice but did not kill them. Instead, she returned home to a nice bowl of milk and maybe some fish. One day, she'd find a new spot to spend her time, but this was enough for now.

The Enchanted Forest was rather geographically central. Or, rather, it thought it was. Forests weren't the best at geography. But anything that mattered was nearby, and often the best option to get from one place to another was to go through. This had doomed more than a few foolish travellers. The Forest is full of dangerous things - some that seek you out, but most that are harmless as long as one follows some basic instructions or just plain common courtesy. The safest way through the Enchanted Forest is to go around, but the fastest way is to go over top. Dragons, even though most are wise enough not to fall victim to the traps awaiting careless travellers, often choose to avoid the stress altogether. On one summer evening, the King of Dragons was to pay a visit to the royal family of the Enchanted Forest. She flew overhead, making a note as to where many of the landmarks had moved to since her last visit, despite knowing that if the time came for her to visit any of them, they would have long since moved once more. Still, it was always prudent to know where things were.

The many pools in the Forest - some dark and murky, some crystal clear, some just crystal - all behaved as they ought. Some revived, some delayed, some poisoned, some cursed, some blessed, and, on some days, some did nothing at all. One Tuesday, some decided to cease exhibiting even the most basic traits of water. While the King of the Enchanted Forest normally left the Forest to its own doings, the threat that many of his subjects could die of thirst or filth was enough that he had to step in and set things right. The Forest resisted, but the King has powers for a reason, and protecting citizens from the Forest's whims was one of them. (Thankfully, protecting them from their own whims was not, otherwise he'd get nothing else done.)

The trees in the Forest grew uniformly and uniquely tall and thick. There were clearings, of course, areas where one could relax in full view of the sun, but even lying down in the middle of the largest clearing you would still see the trees surrounding you. Enchanted or otherwise, trees are the defining characteristic of a forest. These trees had thick, rough bark and branches ideal for climbing. Creatures could spend generations living without touching foot on the springy moss that covered the ground - birds and elves and others who prefer to remain unseen and unknown. However, not everyone is content to leave the unknown as such. A curious magician, wanting to know more about those who keep between the ground and the sky - never touching either - chose to attempt to study their ways. He successfully lived in the between space for an impressive amount of time, until, that is, a misstep led to a broken arm an ashamed walk home across the mossy ground.

Wizards were known to be slimy, dangerous, egotistical, and too clever by half. They had rather recently lost any goodwill the community at large may have had for them, and had failed at too many big schemes to attempt something again. They were unwelcome in the Forest, and the Mountains, and in many other kingdoms that would rather not side against dragons - especially with such low odds that that could pay off for them. The wizards were left in secret, but now it was less of their own design, and more because no one wanted near them. It was smart of them to keep to themselves, to let things stay as they were for quite some time, to think about their choices, or at least to lay low and plan better. That was probably why one decided to enter the Enchanted Forest, staff in hand, presumably to do some damage. On a day of a celebration that had meant several dragons were invited to the Forest. Poor planning can lose any battle.

The Forest was an ideal place to grow a great variety of plants. Due to the magical nature of every inch of ground, things could grow in conditions they normally couldn't. The finickiest rosebush could be found blossoming right next to a temperamental nightshade plant. Cultivating a garden was several times easier, provided one could withstand all the other day to day dangers of living in the Enchanted Forest. It took only just the tiniest bit of extra magical help to ensure that plants would bloom at the most convenient time, and that one always had the freshest of fruit to work with. All the difficulties that came with living in the Enchanted Forest felt like nothing at all when one could sit down with friends over a nice glass of fresh cider.


End file.
